This Saturday marks our 5 year engagement anniversary. Mom always says I should write these stories down so when I'm old and forgetful, I can look back on them and remember stuff.
Part 1 -- "The Talk"
Part 2 -- "The Big Day"
Part 3 -- "Telling the Families"
Just a few odds and ends about engagement that didn't fit in the other stories:
Jason and I first headed down the road to dating the summer after I graduated college and started working in RTP. We would get together every month or so to eat lunch together, which was always super awkward because I still had some feelings for him. This was also the summer Kara and Kelly got married and the second summer I lived with my aunt Roofy. The first summer I lived with her was when I worked at Synthematix with Jason, so she definitely knew all about him.
Roofy and I were driving to one of Kara's wedding showers, and we were discussing our own hypothetical weddings. In the middle of the conversation, she said, "You know you're going to marry Jason, right?" I instinctively said, "Yeah, I know." Whoa. We were not dating; we were just friends. This really messed with my head that my immediate response had been "Yeah, I know."
I had not been really ooshy gooshy or constantly talking about getting engaged to Jason with people while we were dating. The only exception to this was at my high school friend Jessica's wedding where I was a bridesmaid. I mentioned to another bridesmaid (a girl I did not know well) that I'd like to catch the bouquet because I wanted to get married. I didn't catch the bouquet that day (Let's face it, I probably wouldn't have been able to catch it even if it had been thrown directly at me.), but it didn't matter. Seven days later, I was got engaged.
The morning we got engaged, Jason and I were getting ready in his family's bathroom. That bathroom has double sinks, so we were able to get ready at the same time. I looked at him, gestured to the double sinks and said, "This would be nice to have. You know, some day." I meant the very hypothetical whenever-we-get-married future. Little did I know, that future was going to begin about 30 minutes later! Jason said that he nearly lost it when I said that. I think he actually just nodded and then briskly walked out of the room!
Girls always talk about how weird their boyfriends act around the time of engagement. I've heard it all -- thinking that he was losing interest because he was keeping his distance, getting in fights because he did/did not want to do something, etc. Jason was cool as a cucumber. The only weird thing he did was talk about getting an early start on the Blue Ridge trip. I'm an early bird, so this was no problem for me -- until he suggested taking showers the night before. We had been dating for several months and had taken several trips together, so he knew that I was a firm morning shower-er (this hair does NOT work after sleeping on it!), so I was perplexed by this. We actually went back and forth on this until I firmly told him I was taking a shower that next morning. I guess he was just eager to get the proposing over with!
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
How We Got Engaged -- Telling the Families
This Saturday marks our 5 year engagement anniversary. Mom always says I should write these stories down so when I'm old and forgetful, I can look back on them and remember stuff.
You can read Part 1 about the months leading up to engagement and Part 2 about how he asked.
Jason proposed around 8:30am. I love that he proposed in the morning, since it gave me a whole day of excitement before I had to try and sleep. We took lots of pictures at the Pinnacle, and then when we got back to his truck, I asked if we could call people and let them know.
He started by calling his folks. His sister answered the phone, and I don't remember exactly what he said, but when he told her, his mom said "I knew it! I knew that's why you were here!" I guess she did know, since she had gotten on the other phone while he was talking to Sara. I don't know how his dad and brother were told. I guess his mom told them?
I called my house, and Daddy answered. I said, "You like Jason, right? How would you like him for a son-in-law?" Daddy exclaimed, and put mom on the phone. I actually don't remember what I said to her, but she started screaming in her "a daughter just told me good news" kind of way. (She seriously has the same scream for all of these events. I remember telling her I got a job, telling her I was the first year teacher of the year, telling her we bought a house... all the same scream).
Then she said, "Your daddy's so excited, he's called and told Kara." What?!? Daddy had spilled the beans to Kara before I got a chance to! I guess that means he really does love Jason. :) So I called Kara next, and she answered the phone all excited. Again, I don't really remember what I said to her. Maybe I told her how he did it? Beats me... lots of emotions going on that day, hard to remember. Yes Mom, I know I should have written it down that night or something so I'd remember now. Lesson learned.
I then called Jill and said, "You ready to wear that bridesmaid dress?" I said this because when I first called her to tell her Jason and I were going to start dating, her first comment was "What color is the bridesmaid dress going to be?" She knew once we started dating, we were going to get married. The funny thing was, my immediate reply had been "blue," not "Oh, I'm not thinking about that yet." I guess it was already in the back of my head.
Out immediate family out of the way, we held off on calling other people so we could still take our trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Chimney Rock. Here's a few pictures from that day (there's a lot of me because they're Jason's pictures. I don't have digital copies of mine):
You can read Part 1 about the months leading up to engagement and Part 2 about how he asked.
Jason proposed around 8:30am. I love that he proposed in the morning, since it gave me a whole day of excitement before I had to try and sleep. We took lots of pictures at the Pinnacle, and then when we got back to his truck, I asked if we could call people and let them know.
He started by calling his folks. His sister answered the phone, and I don't remember exactly what he said, but when he told her, his mom said "I knew it! I knew that's why you were here!" I guess she did know, since she had gotten on the other phone while he was talking to Sara. I don't know how his dad and brother were told. I guess his mom told them?
I called my house, and Daddy answered. I said, "You like Jason, right? How would you like him for a son-in-law?" Daddy exclaimed, and put mom on the phone. I actually don't remember what I said to her, but she started screaming in her "a daughter just told me good news" kind of way. (She seriously has the same scream for all of these events. I remember telling her I got a job, telling her I was the first year teacher of the year, telling her we bought a house... all the same scream).
Then she said, "Your daddy's so excited, he's called and told Kara." What?!? Daddy had spilled the beans to Kara before I got a chance to! I guess that means he really does love Jason. :) So I called Kara next, and she answered the phone all excited. Again, I don't really remember what I said to her. Maybe I told her how he did it? Beats me... lots of emotions going on that day, hard to remember. Yes Mom, I know I should have written it down that night or something so I'd remember now. Lesson learned.
I then called Jill and said, "You ready to wear that bridesmaid dress?" I said this because when I first called her to tell her Jason and I were going to start dating, her first comment was "What color is the bridesmaid dress going to be?" She knew once we started dating, we were going to get married. The funny thing was, my immediate reply had been "blue," not "Oh, I'm not thinking about that yet." I guess it was already in the back of my head.
Out immediate family out of the way, we held off on calling other people so we could still take our trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Chimney Rock. Here's a few pictures from that day (there's a lot of me because they're Jason's pictures. I don't have digital copies of mine):
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
How We Got Engaged -- The Big Day
This Saturday marks our 5 year engagement anniversary. Mom always says I should write these stories down so when I'm old and forgetful, I can look back on them and remember stuff.
You can read Part 1 here about the months leading up to engagement.
Before we get to that day, a little background...
March 2007 -- Jason and I had been dating a few months, and he took me home to Nebo to meet the family. I had met his mom a month before when she visited Raleigh, but I met ALL the family on this trip. It was so sweet... everyone came out on the front porch as we pulled up the driveway. My guess is they knew they were meeting a future in-law that day.
On that trip, we drove up the mountain at the end of his parents' road, and he showed me a lot of places from his childhood. We also visited Linville Falls.
That night, we went on top of a mountain by his parents' house called the Pinnacle to look at the stars. We had gone to the planetarium on Valentine's Day a month before (nerd alert!), and so it was fun to once again look at constellations, this time in the real night sky.
That night was perfect... Jason brought his iPod and played music while we looked at the stars. We even saw a shooting star! It was also the night we first said "I love you" to each other.
Ok, fast forward to September 29, 2007 -- Jason and I were again visiting his folks, this time to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway and go to Chimney Rock. There had been a forest fire near the Pinnacle, so his dad suggested we stop by there. Little did I know that was a GREAT suggestion!
As we hiked out to the Pinnacle, I said, "Do you realize we were here almost exactly six months ago?" Jason mumbled "yeah" and we walked on. When we got there, Jason took two pictures and then asked if I wanted to sit down. Ok, that was weird, because anyone who knows Jason knows he NEVER just takes two pictures of anything! We find a bug, and we're taking pictures for fifteen minutes!
We sit down, and I can hear his heart beating like crazy. Ok, I know we hiked here, but is he ok? He reaches into his backpack. All of a sudden, I realize what's going on. He turns on his iPod, and tells me this song was playing the last time we were on the Pinnacle, right when we told each other we loved each other. Then, we have this conversation. There was a lot going on that day, so I have no idea if this is actually what was said, but this is how I remember it.
Jason: "Remember the shooting star we saw that night?"
Me: "Yes."
Jason: "Well, I made a wish on that star that night that you would become my wife one day. So, [cracks open the box to the most gorgeous ring ever] will you marry me and become my wife?"
Me: "Yes!"
Then, we kiss, and he puts the ring on my finger. I freak out that he is doing this on a mountain while my hand is shaking! What if the ring fell off the mountain?!?
On the Pinnacle...
Next up: Telling the families and more pictures from that day.
You can read Part 1 here about the months leading up to engagement.
Before we get to that day, a little background...
March 2007 -- Jason and I had been dating a few months, and he took me home to Nebo to meet the family. I had met his mom a month before when she visited Raleigh, but I met ALL the family on this trip. It was so sweet... everyone came out on the front porch as we pulled up the driveway. My guess is they knew they were meeting a future in-law that day.
On that trip, we drove up the mountain at the end of his parents' road, and he showed me a lot of places from his childhood. We also visited Linville Falls.
That night, we went on top of a mountain by his parents' house called the Pinnacle to look at the stars. We had gone to the planetarium on Valentine's Day a month before (nerd alert!), and so it was fun to once again look at constellations, this time in the real night sky.
That night was perfect... Jason brought his iPod and played music while we looked at the stars. We even saw a shooting star! It was also the night we first said "I love you" to each other.
Ok, fast forward to September 29, 2007 -- Jason and I were again visiting his folks, this time to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway and go to Chimney Rock. There had been a forest fire near the Pinnacle, so his dad suggested we stop by there. Little did I know that was a GREAT suggestion!
As we hiked out to the Pinnacle, I said, "Do you realize we were here almost exactly six months ago?" Jason mumbled "yeah" and we walked on. When we got there, Jason took two pictures and then asked if I wanted to sit down. Ok, that was weird, because anyone who knows Jason knows he NEVER just takes two pictures of anything! We find a bug, and we're taking pictures for fifteen minutes!
We sit down, and I can hear his heart beating like crazy. Ok, I know we hiked here, but is he ok? He reaches into his backpack. All of a sudden, I realize what's going on. He turns on his iPod, and tells me this song was playing the last time we were on the Pinnacle, right when we told each other we loved each other. Then, we have this conversation. There was a lot going on that day, so I have no idea if this is actually what was said, but this is how I remember it.
Jason: "Remember the shooting star we saw that night?"
Me: "Yes."
Jason: "Well, I made a wish on that star that night that you would become my wife one day. So, [cracks open the box to the most gorgeous ring ever] will you marry me and become my wife?"
Me: "Yes!"
Then, we kiss, and he puts the ring on my finger. I freak out that he is doing this on a mountain while my hand is shaking! What if the ring fell off the mountain?!?
On the Pinnacle...
 |
| Literally minutes after he proposed |
 |
| Did I mention we got engaged right around 8:30am? You can still see the moon in the sky. |
 |
| One of my all-time favorite pictures of us. I didn't realize how well I was showing off the ring. Plus, look at Jason's "Yeah, she's mine" look on his face. Classic! |
Next up: Telling the families and more pictures from that day.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
How We Got Engaged -- "The Talk"
This Saturday marks our 5 year engagement anniversary. Mom always says I should write these stories down so when I'm old and forgetful, I can look back on them and remember stuff.
Looking back, I'm pretty sure Jason and I knew from the beginning we were going to get married. Our journey to dating was a long one, but once we started dating, we just knew it was meant to be.
Three months in (yes, just three), I was ready for whenever he wanted to ask. My first suspicion was on our 6-monthiversary. We had been out to eat, and I had to wait in the truck while he went into his house to do something. I kinda had a "Oh my goodness, is this it?" moment in the truck. It turned out he was lighting candles and putting cheesecake slices from the fridge on plates. Very romantic, but not our engagement story.
In July or August, I was at his house, and he started asking me "hypothetical" engagement ring questions. Like, what would I want in a ring... I tried to keep my voice calm, while the little bride inside of me was screaming "Whee!!!!!" and dancing around. We were having "the talk," and I was super excited.
Me: "Well, I'd like it to be a silvery color, like white gold or something."
Jason: "Or platinum."
I had no idea that jewelry came in platinum. Hmm, has he already been shopping around?
Me: "And I only want one stone, not a whole bunch."
Jason: "Solitaire."
Is it sad that this guy knows more about rings than I do?
Me: "Nothing too big, like half a carat or something."
Jason: "You get no say in that."
Um, ok...
Me: "And it has to fit under my [latex] gloves at work."
Jason later tells me this was the one thing he hadn't thought of. I'm so glad I mentioned it, since I knew girls at work that dealt with their rings breaking their gloves all the time. He ended up getting the perfect setting for it, called a cathedral setting, that slopes up around the stone, so no tiny prongs to rip gloves.
I tried not to think about our talk after that, but I called him one day, and he was really short with me on the phone. That was weird. He said he was out "buying things" and that he couldn't talk. I don't know why, but when I got off the phone, a thought popped in my head. Was he buying my ring? Turns out he was!
Another day, Jason asked me if I wanted to go back to the mountains and visit the Blue Ridge Parkway. I had never been, so I thought it would be fun. The only strange thing was that our trip was just a few weeks before we were going to travel back that way for his sister's wedding. A tiny thought in the back of my head wondered if we were going to get engaged on that trip...
Next Up: The big day...
As a sidenote, I loved how Jason handled things. Everyone has their own personal opinion about this stuff, but I loved that he valued my opinion (though I'm sure he would have picked out something perfect even if he hadn't asked) but didn't want me to go ring shopping with him. That just seems a little too involved to me. Like, after you've bought the ring together and know for sure you're getting engaged, what stops the guy from just handing the ring over to you in the store? So then every moment becomes a "Is he going to ask today? Why didn't he ask today? I'm so mad at him!" moment. Like I said, everyone has their personal opinion. This is just mine.
Looking back, I'm pretty sure Jason and I knew from the beginning we were going to get married. Our journey to dating was a long one, but once we started dating, we just knew it was meant to be.
Three months in (yes, just three), I was ready for whenever he wanted to ask. My first suspicion was on our 6-monthiversary. We had been out to eat, and I had to wait in the truck while he went into his house to do something. I kinda had a "Oh my goodness, is this it?" moment in the truck. It turned out he was lighting candles and putting cheesecake slices from the fridge on plates. Very romantic, but not our engagement story.
In July or August, I was at his house, and he started asking me "hypothetical" engagement ring questions. Like, what would I want in a ring... I tried to keep my voice calm, while the little bride inside of me was screaming "Whee!!!!!" and dancing around. We were having "the talk," and I was super excited.
Me: "Well, I'd like it to be a silvery color, like white gold or something."
Jason: "Or platinum."
I had no idea that jewelry came in platinum. Hmm, has he already been shopping around?
Me: "And I only want one stone, not a whole bunch."
Jason: "Solitaire."
Is it sad that this guy knows more about rings than I do?
Me: "Nothing too big, like half a carat or something."
Jason: "You get no say in that."
Um, ok...
Me: "And it has to fit under my [latex] gloves at work."
Jason later tells me this was the one thing he hadn't thought of. I'm so glad I mentioned it, since I knew girls at work that dealt with their rings breaking their gloves all the time. He ended up getting the perfect setting for it, called a cathedral setting, that slopes up around the stone, so no tiny prongs to rip gloves.
I tried not to think about our talk after that, but I called him one day, and he was really short with me on the phone. That was weird. He said he was out "buying things" and that he couldn't talk. I don't know why, but when I got off the phone, a thought popped in my head. Was he buying my ring? Turns out he was!
Another day, Jason asked me if I wanted to go back to the mountains and visit the Blue Ridge Parkway. I had never been, so I thought it would be fun. The only strange thing was that our trip was just a few weeks before we were going to travel back that way for his sister's wedding. A tiny thought in the back of my head wondered if we were going to get engaged on that trip...
Next Up: The big day...
As a sidenote, I loved how Jason handled things. Everyone has their own personal opinion about this stuff, but I loved that he valued my opinion (though I'm sure he would have picked out something perfect even if he hadn't asked) but didn't want me to go ring shopping with him. That just seems a little too involved to me. Like, after you've bought the ring together and know for sure you're getting engaged, what stops the guy from just handing the ring over to you in the store? So then every moment becomes a "Is he going to ask today? Why didn't he ask today? I'm so mad at him!" moment. Like I said, everyone has their personal opinion. This is just mine.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Quick Weekend Review
Sadly, it's a pictureless review, since I didn't think to charge my camera battery until it was too late. *sigh*
Friday: We had Joe and Amanda over to see the new house and visit. They surprised Jason with a belated birthday present -- our very own set of baggo/cornhole! We had pizza and a Kara-suggested Butterfinger pie. Yum! Gotta love Papa John's 50% pizza during September.
Saturday: Leisurely morning, followed by "adventure" photo road trip to Creedmoor, Oxford, and Henderson. Apparently, that wore us out, since we both took a multiple-hour nap when we got home!
Sunday: Church, making repairs at the old house (just a few weeks from closing now!), and errand-running. Special shout-out to the hotdog vendor outside of Lowe's for providing us with a cheap quick lunch.
Friday: We had Joe and Amanda over to see the new house and visit. They surprised Jason with a belated birthday present -- our very own set of baggo/cornhole! We had pizza and a Kara-suggested Butterfinger pie. Yum! Gotta love Papa John's 50% pizza during September.
Saturday: Leisurely morning, followed by "adventure" photo road trip to Creedmoor, Oxford, and Henderson. Apparently, that wore us out, since we both took a multiple-hour nap when we got home!
Sunday: Church, making repairs at the old house (just a few weeks from closing now!), and errand-running. Special shout-out to the hotdog vendor outside of Lowe's for providing us with a cheap quick lunch.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Grading Papers
Grading papers is one of those realities as a teacher. Between labs, worksheets, and tests, I usually have quite a pile to grade every few nights!
This is how I grade: on the couch, usually under a blanket, using a wooden cutting board to bear down on.
Want to know what's at the other end of the couch?
All that grading really wears him out. :)
This is how I grade: on the couch, usually under a blanket, using a wooden cutting board to bear down on.
Want to know what's at the other end of the couch?
All that grading really wears him out. :)
Friday, September 14, 2012
Let's Play a Game
The other day, when I was out trimming the hedges (darn you, rain, and all the growth spurts you cause!), I all of a sudden found myself in the middle of a game:
Leaf:
Not a Leaf:
Also Not a Leaf:
 |
| Poor guy jumped off the hedges just in time! |
Leaf:
Not a Leaf:
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Unconditional Love
My family eats some weird things. Like odd concoctions that we refer to as "glups." Like cheese with nearly every meal. Like every vegetable known to mankind.
Thankfully, I have a husband who loves me unconditionally. He is usually willing to eat whatever I prepare (no matter how strange) because he loves me and is thankful I've cooked.
Well, I love him unconditionally, too, and love to make him happy. So last week, I prepared one of his family's favorite meals.
Stick with me...
Pinto beans and cornbread muffins.
Sounds ok, right?
Want to know HOW they eat it?
The beans go in a bowl, and the cornbread is crumbled on top.
I know what you're thinking. Ok, maybe it's a bit eccentric, but still not too weird. Wait, we're not done.
Then, they squeeze butter on top. Well, butter and cornbread DO go together, so I guess that's ok. And then they add apple butter on top.
Wait, what?
Yep folks, this is what unconditional love looks like:
Oh, and just so you know, I served "seriously sharp" cheddar on the side. Had to Davenport it up a bit. :)
Thankfully, I have a husband who loves me unconditionally. He is usually willing to eat whatever I prepare (no matter how strange) because he loves me and is thankful I've cooked.
Well, I love him unconditionally, too, and love to make him happy. So last week, I prepared one of his family's favorite meals.
Stick with me...
Pinto beans and cornbread muffins.
Sounds ok, right?
Want to know HOW they eat it?
The beans go in a bowl, and the cornbread is crumbled on top.
I know what you're thinking. Ok, maybe it's a bit eccentric, but still not too weird. Wait, we're not done.
Then, they squeeze butter on top. Well, butter and cornbread DO go together, so I guess that's ok. And then they add apple butter on top.
Wait, what?
Yep folks, this is what unconditional love looks like:
Oh, and just so you know, I served "seriously sharp" cheddar on the side. Had to Davenport it up a bit. :)
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Semi-Wordless Wednesday
Happy Wednesday from me and this bug. I took his picture a few weeks ago at Southeastern Seminary when Jason and I explored Wake Forest.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Bye-Bye, Gold Eagle Mirror
Yes, you read that correctly. When we moved into our new house, the old homeowners bestowed a couple of things on us. Most of them (barstools, curtain rods, curtains/shades) were very welcome, but one... one we couldn't help but laugh about.
A large, gold circular mirror with an eagle perched above it. It hung over our front door in the entryway. For a while, we kind of considered keeping it. After all, it's certainly a conversation piece! Until Jason said one day, "Hmm, know what would look good there? A giant clock." Once we had another purpose for that place, the mirror had to go.
Out with the old:
A large, gold circular mirror with an eagle perched above it. It hung over our front door in the entryway. For a while, we kind of considered keeping it. After all, it's certainly a conversation piece! Until Jason said one day, "Hmm, know what would look good there? A giant clock." Once we had another purpose for that place, the mirror had to go.
Out with the old:
In with the new:
Monday, September 10, 2012
We've Been Bad...
Jason and I went a bit crazy over Labor Day weekend. We ended up buying stuff for the house Friday, Sunday, AND Monday! True, most of it was lightbulbs and tree loppers, but we did get some fun stuff, too.
Friday: After fooling ourselves for a few months with a reel mower (as in, you are the motor...), we broke down and bought a push mower. Jason's in love! The reel mower cut the grass ok, but it was no match for the stalky weeds we have.
Saturday: One of the best things about moving is that the postal service sends you a giant pack of coupons. One was for 20% off your entire purchase at Pier 1. Now, that isn't a store I usually shop at, but for 20% off, it was worth a trip. Jason and I found all kinds of goodies, including these two:
Monday: After seeing a commercial for Home Goods, I said I wished we had gone by there on Saturday to look for more lamps. So we decided to fix that! I couldn't find a picture online, so I took one instead.
It's kinda hard to tell, but it's two shades of green glass. The base is only about three inches thick (in the dimension you can't see). This is "my" lamp and the brown wood one is "Jason's" lamp.
Anyway, here's some more of our finds. We're slowing adding to our mostly-empty house!
Friday: After fooling ourselves for a few months with a reel mower (as in, you are the motor...), we broke down and bought a push mower. Jason's in love! The reel mower cut the grass ok, but it was no match for the stalky weeds we have.
Saturday: One of the best things about moving is that the postal service sends you a giant pack of coupons. One was for 20% off your entire purchase at Pier 1. Now, that isn't a store I usually shop at, but for 20% off, it was worth a trip. Jason and I found all kinds of goodies, including these two:
 |
| giant clock (22"w by 37"h) for above our entryway (more pictures to come) |
 |
| living room lamp for Jason |
Monday: After seeing a commercial for Home Goods, I said I wished we had gone by there on Saturday to look for more lamps. So we decided to fix that! I couldn't find a picture online, so I took one instead.
It's kinda hard to tell, but it's two shades of green glass. The base is only about three inches thick (in the dimension you can't see). This is "my" lamp and the brown wood one is "Jason's" lamp.
Anyway, here's some more of our finds. We're slowing adding to our mostly-empty house!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)